It is common to feel confusion, loss, and hopelessness during a divorce. Not only do you have to deal with a broken marriage, but you will also have to make big decisions about your financial situation and how your life will look in the coming years without your spouse.

Your friends and loved ones may be able to offer you advice or suggestions, but ultimately you and your spouse must make the decisions and compromises that will affect your finances and parental responsibilities.

If you find yourself deadlocked in disagreements while beginning to file your divorce, consider mediation. Mediation is a similar process to marriage therapy or counseling, but with a focus on divorce proceedings and negotiation. Using an unbiased, licensed mediator as a third party will allow you and your spouse to talk through and negotiate the conflicts you are currently facing.

Mediation may seem intimidating, uncomfortable, or unnecessary – but could greatly help your divorce proceedings go smoothly. Consider the following benefits of mediation:

Mediators Will Not Take Sides – You and your spouse may have very different opinions on how to move forward with divorce proceedings. Your mother, your spouse’s mother, or your friends may feel obliged to take sides or look at your marital conflicts through a biased lens. A mediator is a third party who will help you and your spouse focus on individual issues without the emotional background that may sway your loved ones’ opinions.

Mediation is Private – Divorce litigation is a public practice, but mediation is conducted in private. In certain situations, you may not want all of your dirty laundry aired out to anyone who will be sitting in divorce court with you. This privacy will also allow you and your spouse to be more open without the fear of being judged by friends, family members, or the members of a courtroom.

You Can Speak For Yourself – Mediators allow both parties to speak their mind without the use of lawyers, their spouse, or their family members. Mediation sessions give you a safe space to express your true opinion to someone who will listen and consider your feelings while coming up with solutions.

You May Save Time and Money in Court – If you and your spouse cannot come to an agreement on issues like property division or parental responsibilities, you will have to let a judge come up with a plan for you. This will take up a lot of time in court while you provide the judge with evidence and testimonies. Outside mediators may help you and your spouse make important decisions before entering a courtroom.

You May Prevent Your Divorce From Happening – Couples who are either considering or currently filing for divorce could greatly benefit from mediation or counseling. If a couple has simply been miscommunicating about their relationship and desires, a third party mediator may be able to fix the marriage or provide advice and tools to help the relationship mend.

If you do decide to move forward with divorce proceedings, you may want to consider hiring a family lawyer. When you look to hire a family lawyer, consider one who has experience either conducting mediation sessions or representing parties who participate in mediation. For a free consultation, give us a call today.

About the Author:

Vernon Ready is an award-winning Colorado lawyer with an in-depth understanding of all areas of family law, estate planning, and personal injury. His energetic and aggressive advocacy approach allow him to successfully navigate complex cases, including high asset divorce and complicated custody issues. During his time at the University of Colorado Law School, Ready won numerous awards for his trial advocacy skills. Since being admitted to practice in 2009, Ready has become well-known throughout Denver and the state for the passionate defense of his clients and his unparalleled understanding of the law.

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